(c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000

Родился: 25.01.1956 Каракас Сезонов в Ф1: 2 Лет в Ф1: 2 Гран При: 23 Старты: 18* *не стартовал: 5 Победы: - подряд: Подиумы: - подряд: Поул-позиции: - подряд: Первый ряд: - подряд: Быстрые круги: - подряд: Лучший финиш: 6 Лучший старт: 15 Дубли: Хет-трики: Лидирование старт/финиш: Большие шлемы: Круги: 617 - лидирования: Километры: 3014.07 - лидирования: Очки: 1 - за один сезон: 1 - подряд:

Ф1: 1983-1984

Год	Команда	Шасси
1983	Theodore Racing Team	Theodore N183 (Ensign N183)
1984	Toleman Group Motorsport	Toleman TG183B
		Toleman TG184

The son of an Italian immigrant, Cecotto began racing a 750 cc Honda motor cycle in his native Venezuela in 1972. Soon outgrowing domestic competition, he made a dramatic European debut, scoring a 250/350 cc double, and went on to take the 350 cc title in his first season, becoming the youngest-ever World Champion. More bike successes followed - at 20 he was the youngest winner of the famous Daytona 200 - but a crash early in 1977 put him out of contention for the season. He came back to win the F750 title in 1978, but as Kenny Roberts' star rose, Cecotto's appetite for bike racing waned.

He made an inconclusive F2 debut in 1980, taking part in just three races, but finally abandoned his bike career at the beginning of 1981. After a torrid first half of the season with Martini, Johnny changed teams and under the guiding influence of Markus Hotz knuckled down to the job, swiftly becoming a top-six regular and scoring points in the last four races of the season. A hoped-for Grand Prix opportunity for 1982 failed to materialise so Johnny remained in F2 with a works March. He lost the championship to his team-mate, Corrado Fabi, after the pair had finished the season level on points and Cecotto was forced to drop his worst score from his total. Nevertheless he had made the transition from two wheels to four brilliantly, and this time there was a seat for him in Formula 1.

His first Grand Prix season in the Theodore produced little save a welcome sixth place at Long Beach, so Cecotto moved to Toleman to partner F1 newcomer Ayrton Senna in 1984. He spent the first half of the season somewhat in the Brazilian's shadow, until a very heavy crash in practice for the British Grand Prix left him hospitalised with serious leg and ankle injuries. It was to be the end of his Formula 1 ambitions.

Upon recovery he forged a successful new career in the flourishing touring car scene. Driving for BMW, he won the 1989 Italian championship, and quickly became one of the Munich concern's favoured sons. Johnny has competed in the German, British and Italian series during the nineties and has been one of the undoubted stars of this class of racing. Even at the age of 42, he proved a match for Laurent Aiello and his Peugeot when his Schnizter BMW 320i snatched the 1998 German Super Touring title at the last gasp.

Cecotto has also made several appearances in Team Bigazzi's McLaren F1 GTR, including a couple of wins in Brazil in 1996, sharing the car with Nelson Piquet.

(c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000